Valve construction



Jan. 27, 1942. J. J. E GAN VALVE CONSTRUCTION Filed July 24, 1939 2Sheets-Shet l INVENTOR Joy/v J EGAN. fpWPQq ATTORN EYS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Jan. 27, 1942. J. J. EGAN VALVE CONSTRUCTION Filed July 24, 1939III/I/l/l/III/l W N 4 m a JUMMWG M 4 J 4 m maf R /W V o n u .f J W \-L a5. ,1 A m. m D "T q, Z7 a EM 7 n.".. ...4 n 1 Y n MAJ l l uk B l 0. n4 1. 0m 5d u a u n n m n n Patented Jan. 27, 1942 John J. Egan, SanFrancisco Califi, assignor of one-half to Earl M. Robitscher, SanFrancisco,

Calif.

Applicationiuly 24, 1939, Serial N0; 2 ,1 4;

lClaim. (o1.137j f104) The present invention relates to improvements in,valve constructions and has particular reference to a valve adapted forcontrolling the liquid supply to a tank or the like. a

An object of my invention is to provide a valve that willautomatically'and positively close itself after 3a predetermined amountof liquid has passed'into the tank; a

' 'A,further,object resides in the provision of a valve which willeliminate the usualhissing or chattering noise that-is so often-foundinconventional valves, such as, for instance, the inlet vavles on flushtanks. I

It is proposed to utilize the pressure ohthe incoming liquid for closingthe valve and holding system. for a toilets].

the latter upon itsseat after acertain quantity of liquidhas, beendischarged into aflush tank.

It is still further proposed toprovide'a valve of the characterdescribed", in which the pressure-responsive means for closing the valvemay be adjusted to actuate the valve at different pressures and thussubstantially I the same amount j of liquid may -be discharged into thetank,- regardless of the prevailing different pipe lines.

-Moreover, Ipropose to utilize a float which actsin conjunction withthe'pressure-responsive means hereinabove referred to, the float beingarranged to aid in the opening and closing of the valverelative to itsseat.

A still further'objectof my invention isto provide a valve constructionthat is simple in construction, durable and eflicient, for the pur at arelatively low cost} v Other objects andadvantages of mylinvention willappear as the specification proceedsand the novel features will beparticluarly set -forth:in the appended claim. f

poses intended and which may beinanufactured For a better-understandingof myinvention,

reference should be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part ofthis application, in whichzf h "pressure in Figure -1 is "averticalsectional view taken through a valve construction embodying myin-v vention, parts being shown in elevation;

Figures2 to '7, inclusive, illustrate several'parts of the valve'inperspective. View; Y

Figures 8 discloses a flush tank having oneof my valves therein, part'of the tank being shown in section; and Figure 9 illustrates a modifiedform of in vertical section'l While I have shown only the preferredforms of my invention, I wish to have it understood my valve thatvariouschanges orfmodifications may be made within the scopepof' the claimhereto attached Without departing from'the spirit of the invention. I

- "In carrying my invention into practice, I make useof a conventionaltank I having a liquid supply pipje2 leading thereinto,the pipebeingprovided, with a control valve '3. x

It will beunderstood, of ,course, that the tank I may be made of anysuitable size and shape insofar as the present invention is concerned.For the purpose of-illustration I only, I have shown thetank as formingpart of the flushing The latter is connected to-the tank lby thejusualpipe, 5, which is provided with the conventional flush valve (not shown)in the well-known'manner.

- I :Flush toilets'of this type are normally provided with'ano'verflowtubegfi, the latter discharging into the pipe 5 leading-tothe toilet. I ."Referring new to Figures 1 ,and 8, it will b no'tedrthatI provide the usual fitting 1, which passes downwardly'through thebottom of the tank I and is connected-to the-supply pipe- 2 by asuitable coupling 8." A gasket 9 forms a watertight connection over theopening I!) in the tank bottom. The flange; II on the fitting 1 servesto force the gasket against the tank bottom when the 'nut .l2' istightened on the threaded portion I3 of thefitting; Y

, An'inlet tube I4 is threaded onto the top of the fitting I, as at l5,and conveys the incoming liquid, such as water, to a bowl l6 mounted onthe top of. this inle'ttube.

- A ioot-valve I1 icoacts with a seat [8 formed on the upper endof'thefitting 1 to prevent return flow through the tube l4; 5 :Figures land '7illustrate, the foot-valve I! in detaiL'the lower part 19 of the valvebeing tapered to conform to the seat 18, while the upper part' isfashioned with lateral wings 20. The wings'20 areguide'd by theseotion2| of the inlet tube 'and the incoming. liquid passes upwardly throughthe spaces 22 defined between the wings. The bowl I6, previouslymentioned, is threaded ontothe" top of the inlet tube M, as at 23, andthe incoming liquid flows upward through a riser 24, the'latter beingformed as part of the bowl andterminating at its top in a valve seat25.. The bottom of the bowl is formed with openings" 26 through whichthe liquid is discharged. An apron or hushtube 21 is threaded onto thelower end of the bowl .at 28. The tube 21' surrounds 'the 'inlet tube l4and is spaced therefrom to allow the liquid to pass downwardly andfinally into the tank I,

The lowest level that the liquid, such as water, reaches in the tankafter flushing of the toilet is indicated at 21 in Figure 1. It will benoted that the lower end 30 of the hush tube 21 is always immersed inthe liquid or water and this acts to silence the inflow of the liquidinto the tank.

The bowl has a bonnet 3| threaded thereto, as at 32, the bonnet having acylinder 33 formed therein in axial alinement with the inlet tube M. Thecylinder 33 extends upwardly from the bowl and has a plunger 34 slidablydisposed therein, the top of the cylinder being closedat 35 (see Figure1). A packing ring 35 is. provided on the upper part of the plunger toform a liquidtight seal between the latter and the cylinder.

The lower end of the plunger 34 has a reduced projection 31 and ashoulder 33 adjacent the projection. A washer 39 is telescoped over theprojection 31 and is held against the shoulder 38 by a cap 40. Thelatter is threaded onto the plunger, as at 4|.

A by-pass 42 extends axially through the plunger 34 from end to end andpart of the incoming liquid is introduced between the closed end 35' ofthe cylinder and the upper end of the plunger by means of the by-pass,The liquid thus introduced into, the top of the cylinder serves to urgethe plunger downwardly and force the washer or valve 39 upon the seat25.

It will be" noted that liquid is continuously admitted into the upperpart of the cylinder 33 and the valve 39 is held on its seat by thepressure of the incoming liquid. The outer diameter of the plungersomewhat exceeds the inner diameter of the inlet tube l4.

A lever 43 is pivoted at 44 to a bifurcated bracket 45 projecting fromthe bonnet 3.1. One arm 43 of this lever passes through a slot 41. inthe bonnet and enters a socket 48 formed in the side of the plunger. Thefree end of the lever has a float 49 secured thereto.

It will be noted that as the water level in the tank I recedes, and thefloat 49 lowers, the weight of the float and the arm 5!! of the leverserves to unseat the valve 39 from its seat 25. On the other hand, theraising of the float due to the filling of the tank, will aid the valve39 in seating.

In this modification, however, the inlet tube 14' extends through avertical wall of the tank I and the cylinder 33' and the plunger 34' arehorizontally disposed. The lever arm 43' is suitably curved to allow thevalve to be mounted horizontally.

Having thus described the various parts of my valve construction, theoperation thereof may be readily understood.

Assuming that the liquid. has been discharged from the tank until itslevel has been lowered to the position indicated in Figure 1 and thatvalve 39 has unseated, as the water enters through the inlet tube I4, itpasses upwardly and discharges over the riser 24 and into the bowl IS.

The water thus entering the bowl I6 flows downwardly through theopenings 26 and passes through the space between the inlet tube 14 andthe hush tube 21.

Part of the incoming water is by-passed at 42 into the top of thecylinder 33 and aids in urging the plunger downward.

As the level of the water rises in the tank I, the float 49 is lifted bythe water and aids in closing the valve 39 upon its seat 25 to stop theflow of the incoming water.

During the next time the water is discharged from the tank, the loweringof the float 59- will raise the valve 39 from the seat 25'.

The float 49' in the modified form shown in Figure 9 may be madeconsiderably smaller than the floats which operate the valves in largetanks, since the valve is urged closed not only by the float, but alsoby the pressure of the incoming liquid or water.

Although I have made reference to using my valve constructions inconnection with flush tanks, it should be clearly understood that I donot wish to be limited in this respect, since my valves may be used inreservoirs, storage tanks and many other places.

For adjusting the pressure-responsive means to actuate the valve 39 atdiiferent pressures of the incoming liquid, I provide a weighted element51 that is adjustable along the length of the arm 59. It will beappreciated, of course, that the prevailing pressure in diiierent pipelines vary from each other, Substantially the same amount of water canbe introduced into the tank for each flushing before the valve 39 isseated by merely moving the weighted element 5l along the lever arm. I

The weighted element 5i has been illustrated in the drawings as a nutwhich is threaded onto the lever arm 50', the outer surface 52 of thenut, being knurled to facilitate adjustment thereof.

In. order to maintain a quantity of water in the toilet 4, I make use ofthe. conventional refill tube 53, one end of which. is placed. incommunication with the bowl H5 at 54. The opposite end 55 discharges.into the overflow tube 6.

The form of my invention as shown in Figure 9 is substantially the sameas that illustrated in Figures 1 to 8, inclusive, and like numbers willbe applied to corresponding parts, excepting the reference numerals willbe primed.

I claim:

In a valve construction, an inlet tube adapted for connection to asource of liquidunder pressure, a discharge tube surrounding the same inconcentric relation, a riser secured to'theupper end of the inlet tubeand having an end forming a Valve seat, a bowl-shaped member formedintegral with the riser and surrounding the same to form a closedchamber therewith, a flange connecting the riser and the bowl and havingoutlet apertures for guiding liquid discharge through the riser into thedischarge tube, the discharge tube being suspended from the bowl-shapedmember, a bonnet secured to the upper end of the bowl-shaped member andhaving a cylindrical section-alined with the intake pipe and having anaperture therein, a plunger movable in the said section and having avalve at its lower end to cooperate with the valve seat in closing theinlet pipe and having a recess therein opposite the aperture in thebonnet, the plunger having an axial perforation to allow liquid underpressure to bear on the end opposite the valve seat, a bracketprojecting from the bonnet, a lever arm pivoted to the bracket andhaving an end extending through the aperture in the bonnetand engaginginto the recess for operating the plunger, and a float at the other endof the lever arm, the plunger forming a closure for the aper- Zgre inthe bonnet against liquid entering through e riser.

JOHN J. EGAN.

